Requiem
by Christina1988
Summary: Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca is probably the most interesting character in A&D. This story is a collection of episodes of his life. Rated T to be safe, please R&R.
1. 0 Authors Note

**Requiem**

_requiem: a Christian ceremony for a person who has recently died, at which people say prayers for his or her soul._

This is not a story with a plot or something, this is like a colourful mix of episodes from Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca's life. I'll try to cover as many stations in his life as I can, using different styles, points of view or narrators.

I always wanted to do something like this and I think the character of the Camerlengo is perfect for that. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it ;)


	2. 1 Broken Wings

**Broken Wings**

**Fight the fight alone  
When the world is full of victims  
Dims a fading light  
In our souls **

_I tried it, Father_! The Camerlengo screamed inside as he climbed up to the balustrade. He had fought his battle and even if it didn't look like it, he had won. He had saved them all. People were misguided, he had brought them back on the right path. Back to God.

Carlo Ventresca could hear their singing, their prayers. Full of joy, faith and hope.

**Mend the broken homes  
Care for them they are our brothers  
Save the fading light in our souls **

Yes, and how he had saved them. But no one knew and no one would ever know. His heroic deed was silent, just as his death would be. When he killed his father, it has been a great sacrifice. But it wasn't enough. Just like Jesus Christ, he would die for mankind.

**On broken wings I'm falling  
And it won't be long  
The skin on me is burning  
By the fires of the sun  
On skinned knees  
I'm bleeding  
And it won't be long  
I've got to find that meaning  
I'll search for so long **

_Father, I'm coming home!_ Carlo Ventresca prayed as he took out the golden pocket lighter. In a few seconds he would be gone, he would be home. He switched on the lighter and at the same moment he felt a pain in his hand, crawling up his arm, spreading out all over his body. The flames felt like salvation. That was the way it had to be. Only an instant later he had disappeared. Carlo Ventresca had gone home...


	3. 2 Signs

**Signs**

The bells of Palermo's cathedral started ringing as young Carlo Ventresca reached the huge entrance arch. He was amazed by the impressive cathedral with it's arches and it's dome.

When he and his mother Maria arrived at the cathedral, he stopped in front of a statue. Carlo didn't know who it was, probably a saint, but it was holding up a cross, as if it wanted to invite people to come into the church.

"Come on, Carlo! Let's go inside!" his mother called.

The young boy turned away from the statue and ran to his mother. Together they walked toward the entrance. A clock showed that it was 5 minutes to 12. Mass would start in a few minutes. Maria took the hand of her son but Carlo stopped in front of the door and hesitated. Craven green eyes stared at her.

"Mom, do we have to go in there?" he asked.

His mother smiled at him but even her beautiful smile couldn't wipe away the fear. And he didn't even know what he was afraid of. Maria had noticed his fear and she still smiled.

"Carlo, remember what I told you? God is your father. He'll protect you from everything. Especially when you're home."

And with _home_ she meant the _church_. Carlo took a deep breath and followed his mother into the cathedral.

The interior was filled with people, more than he had expected and probably less than the priest had expected. The old man was sitting on a chair next to the altar, looking at the door.

"Carlo, please go and sit down on the front bank. I'll just light a candle."

The young boy started walking down the long way to the front bank but suddenly he stopped and looked left. Without knowing why he walked toward an alcove instead of the bank and paused in front of a huge tapestry. Carlo turned around when he heard the voice of his mother calling his name and the picture he saw then was a picture he would never forget in his entire life. He heard a noise and afterwards he felt stones and dust covering his body before everything faded into black.

_Carlo, remember what I told you? God is your father. He'll protect you from everything. Especially when you're home._

In this moment Carlo knew that his mother had told him the truth.


	4. 3 Physics Lessons

**Physics Lessons**

Carlo Ventresca was different than other boys at the age of 15. For almost 5 years he had been living at an abbey somewhere in Italy. He lived and learned between monks, far away from the daily life of normal teenagers. He got up at sunrise, was taught the most important things and at noon he went to Mass – Carlo's favourite time of day – and afterwards he helped the monks. He lived a life in silence and reflection, a life close to God.

But there was one thing he had in common with all other girls and boys – he hated school. He enjoyed the music lessons with Sister Bianca and the history lessons with Brother Damiano, but what Carlo really hated were his science lessons.

"Brother Saverio!" Carlo looked up from his physics assignments, "Why do I have to learn that stuff? I mean, I know when I drop something it falls down. But I don't need physics lessons to teach me that."

"Oh boy..." the old monk smiled. Carlo didn't like him very much. The way he talked about Darwin sounded like he belived it himself.

"You need physics for so many things. You can explain almost everything with physics."

But the matter of fact was that Carlo did not need explanations. He _believed_.

"Come on, Carlo. Concentrate!" the monk demanded angrily.

Carlo hated being stubborn but Brother Saverio didn't let him a choice. The monk paused, he seemed to be thinking about something.

"Okay, enough calculation for today. Tell me something about Galileo."

"Galileo was a poor man seduced by science who betrayed the church by..." Carlo started when Brother Saverio's hand hit the table. He frightened. The young boy couldn't really understand the monk's anger. He had simply told the truth. Brother Saverio took a deep breath and became calm again.

"We are men of old traditions, Carlo, and we are living in a world that isn't our's anymore. But we got to learn how to live in it, learn to live together – with religion _and_ science. We've got to find the middle. Especially you, Carlo. You are the future of our church."

_Science produces weapons of mass destruction, science makes people think they don't need God anymore... How could religion ever work together with science?_, Carlo thought.

There was a knock at the door and Sister Bianca entered. Carlo and the old monk were surprised, they had expected Brother Damiano, who wanted to tell Carlo about the split of the church and Martin Luther. But instead there was his music teacher.

"I am sorry to disturb. Brother Damiano sent me to tell you something about a topic I know more about than him. I think it fits into the science lesson. You're gonna learn something about the ancient Illuminati today." Sister Bianca told him.


	5. 4 Carry On Wayward Son

**Carry On My Wayward Son**

When I woke up I first thought I was having the most horrible nightmare. I was hoping it wasn't your eyes I was staring into. But it was not a dream. And it was your hand covering my mouth, keeping me from screaming. There was no need to.

I saw it in your eyes, my son, right before I felt the needle in my vein. Your cold, green eyes. You have your mother's eyes, do you know that? Of course you do. But you will never know that I loved her, just as much as I loved you. I spoke once and I'll speak no more.

Why? My son, why? Because you think I broke my vow? You should've listened to me. You should've let me explain. But it's done. My time on earth is running out, and it's running fast.

Is it my fault? Was is wrong to tell you? Was it too late? We'll never know.

I know your heart is in the right place and I can feel what you are planning. I just hope you will find the right way. So, carry on my wayward son.


	6. 5 Watching From Above

**Watching From Above**

So. . . it was real, the pain. I died. And what they said was true, you see your whole life rushing through your head in the moment you die. You expect me to have regrets for what I've done, do you? But I don't regret anything.

Everyone will know soon and my miracle will fade away. They will remember me as the _crazy camerlengo._ The one who killed several cardinals, the one who planted a bomb inside of Vatican City, the one who killed the pope, his father, and who committed suicide in the end. I admit, it's not the best memory you can have of a person. They will condemn me.

But they _will_ remember me. They will know that I tried to change something. They will see that I was right. And as long as the idea lives, I will not die.

I'm not much of a Buddhist, but in the moment I died, I was reborn in the hearts of some people. And I will live there as long as those people carry on my ideas. And they will.

In the end I reached my goal. I changed their hearts and that will change the world someday. . .


	7. 6 Fallen Angels

**Fallen Angel**

It was another sleepless night.

Two days had now passed since the dead body of the Pope was discovered. The horrorful news had spread across the globe withing hours and Carlo had felt proud. Soon the whole world would find back to true faith but now he realised that his emotions had changed. He felt even more guilty with every sunrise.

"It was right!" he tried to tell himself. "Was is right, Father?"

But God remained silent.

Carlo made another attempt to close his eyes when suddenly the memory of that night came back into his mind. No, he would not allow it. Not tonight.

"It was right!" he whispered, staring up to the black ceiling of his room, looking for a sign from God but found something else.

Carlo couldn't see the demons but he assumed them lingering in the darkness, clawing at his soul, wanting to drag him down to hell. They were fallen angels, just like him.

"But I am different." Carlo thought. "I sacrifice my soul to save millions. I am a martyr."


End file.
